Which of the Amtrak electrics were nicknamed "Toasters?" Was it the E60s or the AEM7s? I've heard the AEM7s called "Swedish meatballs" but they sorta look like big toasters so I'm wondering if both nicknames applied to the same engines?

The South Carolina Railroad Museum
mconrad@msmgmt.com

Only the AEM-7s, becuase of their strangely toaster-like profile, just as you suspected.

eledbetter@rypn.org

The E60s were named "Flying Shoeboxes" soon after they went into service because of the way they bounced around when going through crossovers.

rick@strasburgrailroad.com

I understand the E60's were prone to electrical fires, which may have made the nickname 'Toaster' appropriate for them as well!

davew833@yahoo.com

> Which of the Amtrak electrics were nicknamed
> "Toasters?" Was it the E60s or the
> AEM7s? I've heard the AEM7s called
> "Swedish meatballs" but they sorta
> look like big toasters so I'm wondering if
> both nicknames applied to the same engines?

Lots of locomotives have several nicknames. The AEM7 was based on a Swedish design, hence the "Meatball" name. And since GE makes household appliances, including toasters, any GE (diesel or electric) could be called a "Toaster".

These are the (polite) names and explainations I've heard; I'm sure there are others.


edm5970@earthlink.net

> Only the AEM-7s, becuase of their strangely
> toaster-like profile, just as you suspected.

As is standard Government practice, one of Amtracks first move was to reinvent the diesel locomotive. After the several years experience with their invention, is there any evidence that the millions they spent gave them any better locomotive than they could have bought off the shelf?
When I hear of one of the bureaus searching and
testing to redesign a product I always remember
the Navy's experience with radios. In the late 1920's and early 30's one of the best radios available for the Ham operators was the HRO. They
were a little pricy but many a ham saved up and bought one. The Navy had them too, but the management had research done and designed one
of their own. An amused navy radio operator told us that after the first broadside the new design
quit and they drug out their old HRO's and went back to communicating.
Jim

rrfanjim@charter.net

At our end of the corridor, the E-60s were called "Bricks" and the AEM-7s were called "Toasters" or "Meatballs". I remember one fellow at Amtrak, since retired, who had an E-60 Flying Club certificate on his wall, commemorating a derailment at speed during testing.

I've also heard of the E-33s and E-44s called "Bricks" because of their shape-


edm5970@earthlink.net